BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Winners of six of their last 10 games, the Kentucky men?s soccer team kicks off post-season play, earning the three-seed and a matchup with sixth-seeded Marshall in the Conference USA Tournament, beginning on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. EDT at UAB?s West Campus Field.

Kentucky (7-9-2, 5-3 C-USA) comes into the post-season having posted a stellar 5-3 conference record after opening its season with a 1-5-2 overall record. UK caught fire at the end of the season, highlighted by an improbable upset of No. 1 SMU on Nov. 3. With several of its key players missing in the final regular season weekend, UK dropped a dramatic 2-1 overtime loss to South Carolina on Saturday.

Marshall (9-8-1, 3-5 C-USA) enters the game with the sixth-seed, having dropped its regular season meeting with the Wildcats, 3-1. UK?s Barry Rice totaled a conference-best five points in the game, netted two UK goals, and assisted on the third. Aaron Swanson netted UK?s first goal of the game, taking passes from Rice and senior Adam Midkiff and firing a ball just under the keeper?s hands. Rice followed that up with a majestic goal off a free kick from about 24 yards out, sliding off the cross bar into the net. Marshall?s John Daniele tallied the Thundering Herd?s lone goal, on an assist from Jeff Lenix.

Kentucky owns an all-time 11-5-3 record vs. Marshall, having not lost to the Thundering Herd since a 2002 double-overtime setback. UK owns an all-time 2-2 record in the C-USA Tournament.

Last season, UK rolled through the conference tournament, earning early round wins over Memphis and Tulsa, setting up a match with SMU in the C-USA Championship game, with UK falling 2-0 to the powerhouse Mustangs. Kentucky, who switched to C-USA in 2005, dominated the Mid-American Conference for nine years, earning three MAC Tournament titles and four regular season titles.

Rice has led the way for UK, tallying a team-high seven goals from his defender position. Rice, a sophomore from Parma, Ohio, has scored six of his seven goals from headers with his lone non-header goal coming off a free kick in UK?s win over Marshall. Sophomore forward Tim Crone, who was named National Soccer Coaches Association of America National Player of the Week following his two-goal performance in the UK upset of No. 1 SMU, ranks second on the team with five goals. Swanson has also tallied five goals, leading UK with 28 shots. In between the pipes for the Wildcats, Dan Williams has been a rock in an ever-changing, injury depleted defense, saving 70 shots. In conference games only, Rice leads the league in goals (5), points per game (1.57), points (11), and goals per game (0.71). UK junior midfielder Masumi Turnbull leads the league in assists in conference action, posting six assists.

The winner of the UK-Marshall game will face the winner of the SMU-Florida International game, with kickoff set for Friday at 6 p.m. EDT.